I'm not so sure myself, but it seems the computer's preference is about controlling the space or controlling important squares:
Less pressure on e4 is definitely a good thing. Now we can consider moves like d4 down the line.
The d5-square has come under white's control for now, etc.
That's the basic theme here - controlling important squares in this position. The position wasn't tactical, the bishops and knights had no solid attack, so the computer made a positional choice.
Now, after h6 we could have sustained the pin with Bh4 in hopes of ruining black's king-side structure:
If black moves the queen then white takes Bxf6, and black is forced to take back with gxf6. Bang! The king-side is open.
If after h6 Bh4 g5, then sure black's king side is slightly weaker with some weak color complexes, but white's bishop would also be benched throughout the game.
And in fact, the following position gives black even more control of the board:
Thank you for your thoughts.
I found couple more moves after the Qxf6...
Since Knight no longer needs to guard c4 we can move it Kd5 threatening the queen and the only move white have is to get queen back Qd8 otherwise we will do fork on Kxc7. If he retreats we have very strong position for the knight supported by the bishop and the pawn.
I think I get it now. I will try this in couple of games and see.
Yes, that's a much stronger point. I guess the computer was being tactical after all.
E7 and c7 become targets, the knight reaches its control further up into enemy territory, and white does it all with tempo, forcing black's queen to safety which is sort of a wasted move, and white gets to make yet another important move afterwards. Great.
I think it’s because of the tempo white gets after placing knight on d5. It threatens the Queen and c7. Also, creates potential for checks.
Once the queen returns back to guard c7, there are ideas like some how putting the knight on g5 and followed by Qh5. H pawn push is also an idea. Sacing the knight to open the king and something like that. Light square bishop is also x-raying for potential tactics. Many ideas.
Now that blacks annoying knight is gone...attacking ideas like this can occur. These are just my immediate thoughts looking at the position.
That’s all I can think for now.
I believe that after nd5, qd8, c3 is strong, giving white a very slight edge due to white's strong centralized knight, and the possibility of d4 or gaining space on the queenside. Here is the database link to the position which may be instructive. https://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=18&n=5096&ms=e4.e5.Nf3.Nc6.Nc3.Nf6.Bc4.Bc5.d3.d6.Bg5.h6.Bxf6.Qxf6.Nd5.Qd8.c3&ns=3.5.5.6.47.57.56.954.872.918.1318.3733.4588.4755.4589.4756.5096
This is a question from a beginner so keep this in mind please.
Often in my games, when playing white, the game develops to the situation when the bishop diagonal gets open the engine suggests a bishop to pin the knight as shown below:
Then the best move sequence:
h6, Bxf6, Qxf6 results in
For me this looks like much better position for blacks. I only see that we traded bishop for knight, slightly touched the kings guard paw structure, but I don't necessarily see this being a disadvantage and we helped blacks to develop his queen. One good thing I can see is that nothing is attacking e4 now.
So what I am missing here and why?
- is this knight very important for blacks?
- is the king side pawn structure much worse now?
- is it very important for e4 not to be attacked?
- what else?